Andy Doucet

Choosing a Gaming Headset is a unique experience.

One must decide what your price point is and whether there’s a brand preference when purchasing a Gaming Headset. Do you want to be a smooth operator with a wireless headset that will go with you as you move around the house without needing to remove it? Or, is it more important to get the highest audio quality, stylish looks or microphone clarity?

When it comes to a gaming headset PC based or even for a gaming console, it is not difficult to see that prices are sometimes steep. However, one doesn’t need to go for the most expensive brands like Razer to still enjoy a cool experience with a set of cans that deliver comfort, excellent bass, and vocal clarity. Here at Amdology, we believe in having a good price for a quality product.

With this in mind, we’ve gathered together what we feel are the best five gaming headsets that offer pleasing quality in one or more areas at a price point that provides value for money.

Here are the 5 Top Gaming Headset models:

The Beyerdynamic MMX 300 is a German-made gaming headset in its second iteration. As well as gaming, this stereo headset is useful to listen to music and for media consumption too. This is a good thing too because this is one of the more pricier models under review.

The gaming headset is a closed set of cans with a curved padded headband and adjustable length on either side to fit different head sizes. The model is intended for gaming console use, not only PC gaming, which is good to see.

The padded ear cups are effective at knocking out a fair amount of ambient noise (in the background elsewhere in the room). The noise reduction isn’t intended for use on planes or buses during travel, but it’s still quite effective nonetheless.

What about the microphone?

The adjustable curved microphone is especially clear with the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 due to the new capsule technology used and the foam over the mic to protect from breathing and fan-created air movement. Sound recording is also improved by the drivers for the gaming headset that get the most out of the hardware.

The headset itself is surprisingly light considering its size. It works well for marathon gaming sessions without getting the ears hot and sweaty or causing the head to ache from its total weight. With excessive wear, both the headband and the soft ear materials are replaceable with new parts without needing to change the headset.

The cable that comes with the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 has an adaptor. It is able to plug directly into a PC, a gaming console or a media device through its 3.5mm jack. An inline control accesses volume control, picks up incoming calls, and mutes sound.

The MMX 300 headset is ideal both for gaming environments and general use like media consumption and making/receiving VoIP calls on Skype, Viber and other chat apps. It is designed for comfortable wear over long periods of time, with a microphone and supporting drivers that are impressive.

The Astro Gaming A50 headset is a wireless one that broadcasts on the clearer 5Ghz frequency to avoid interference. Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound is also supported for hearing distant footsteps and being able to readily identify which direction they’re coming from. Alternatively, music that includes location-specific atmospheric effects is also improved.

The primary model is a gray one with bright green highlights. The overall aesthetic won’t be to every gamer’s liking. The foam on the underside of the headband might not hold up as well as with other gaming headsets. Certainly, the A50 looks more engineer-friendly rather than gamer-friendly.

The model is useable on a PC and Mac and is compatible either for the PlayStation 4 or the XBox One (there are two models to pick from).

The headset comes with its own charging stand that acts as both a base station and the transmitter. There are several LEDs at the front-right providing easy indicators to confirm status. The unit plugs into a spare USB port and requires 5 volts of power.

Wait, it comes with a cord?

A 1 meter USB cable with a micro USB connection and a 1m optical cable are both supplied. The gaming headset uses a Lithium Ion battery system which boasts up to 15 hours of audio pleasure before needing to be recharged again.

The microphone is a long boom version that folds up along the side of the gaming headset. Precision tuning and professional quality allow for clear spoken words during gaming or a VoIP call, with playback of video content equally high-quality too.

The software permits minute adjustments to microphone sensitivity and audio levels. An equalizer with multiple modes configured for different uses is provided too.

The Astro Gaming A50 headset offers quality audio with a bright appearance that won’t be to everyone’s taste. It is a wireless headset with an attractive base unit that will look good on the desk when not in use. There are also some modular parts for the A50 that can be swapped out as needed.

The HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset comes in a choice of black or white color schemes. The product is a wireless headset designed for PC, console and smartphone/tablet gaming. It has an adapter that plugs in wherever is needed, even on airplanes.

The appearance of the black version is subtle yet stylish with a black tone, matched with a deep ruby red connecting plate between the headband and the cans below it. There is also ribbed braided black and red stitching along the edge of the headband to give it a different look than other gaming headsets on the market. The white colored model is suitably adorned too. Interchangeable interior-colored ear pads ensure this model will last a long time too.

What is it like to wear?

The construction of the HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset has an aluminum basis to provide rigidity where it counts. The nicely padded headband has a leatherette cover which is comfortable on the head. The foam used is memory foam that morphs to match the shape it surrounds for improved comfort during marathon gaming sessions.

The headset has closed cups with 53mm drivers powering a clean, strong sound. Virtual Dolby Surround Sound 7.1 is provided to hear warriors sneaking up behind you during the heat of battle. The closed cup approach is intended to block out a fair amount of ambient sound to remove in-game distractions.

The microphone is curved and cancels out the noise. It is detachable too which is a nice feature when it’s either not needed or when packing to travel safely with your gaming gear. Whether you talk in-game using the Discord or TeamSpeak apps, the HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset is compatible with both.

Does it have built-in controls?

There is an inline control for muting volume and adjusting volume levels incrementally without needing to jump back to the gaming menu to do so. An Advanced control system plugs into a USB port to provide signal processing for digital audio that’s compatible with certain sound card systems.

The headset will work with a PC, a mobile device, virtual reality system, several XBox consoles, and PS4 systems too. Using an adapter, the headset will also work on a plane. The two-year warranty provided is good to see too.

The Cloud Gaming Headset from HyperX is a solid choice for anyone who wants a durable, great sounding headset for their gaming and console gaming needs. It is certified for XBox and will provide years of pleasurable use. The model is also very affordable when compared to some other gaming headsets.

The Logitech G430 is a gaming headset offering Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound and DTS Headphone X features. Its black chassis is given a splash of color with the light blue interior foam headband and padded inner ear cups that share the same color. The long, braided audio cord matches the blue color too.

The design of this headset covers the ears with greater efficiency using it’s more rectangular cup design than other headsets. As a result, even people with larger ears will find them completely encapsulated which works extremely well in cutting out distractions. There is no pain from pressure on the ears over extended wear and other than the audio cord, one almost forgets that you’re wearing the G430 once it’s positioned well.

Does integrate with my current Logitech Products?

Logitech’s own gaming software must be installed to setup and benefit from the Dolby surround effects. The audio quality here includes deep bass and clear voices. No one is likely to be disappointed with the audio quality.

The microphone is a boom one on a long arm that folds up and down as needed. It is possible to overuse it and then it sometimes may no longer stay in the up position as desired. But even should this happen, it’s not a major problem. The microphone cancels out white noise well and offers excellent voice capture for VoIP calls and gaming chats.

Is it comfortable?

The ear cups with their cloth-like padded covering swivel around 90-degrees without difficulty. The feature allows the headphones to be packed flat in your luggage without needing to worry about them becoming damaged. The flat packing earcups also save space too. The ear cups are also replaceable with new versions as they do get dirty over time. They’re washable too, but be careful to keep the temperature down so they do not shrink and no longer fit.

An inline control provides both a mute switch and a volume adjustment feature. Over prolonged use, the mute feature sometimes doesn’t work 100% with some microphone sound being picked up. However, turning the mic on and then off again seems to fix that.

The G430 headset is designed for newer versions of Windows and the PS4 console. It may also work on other consoles too.

The Logitech G430 wired gaming headset is a top unit with excellent sound quality and a good microphone. The braided cable is especially long compared to other corded units sharing its price point which comes in handy at times. While there are a few disappointing quirks (noted in the review above), for the price charged, it’s hard to complain or go wrong with this model. Anyone not willing to part with several hundred bucks for a gaming headset would no doubt enjoy using this one. The G430 comes with a 3-year warranty too.

The Man O’War is one of Razer’s gaming headset that comes with Dolby Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound. The model under review is a wireless one, but there’s also a wired version and an Overwatch themed headset too for fans of this ultra-popular game.

One of the main attractions of the Razer line is the Chroma color schemes with millions of selectable color shades that can be matched across a headset, mouse, and keyboard. The same is true here with the exterior of each can displaying the Razer logo using the Chroma lighting mode. For anyone who owns one of the other Razer gaming peripherals, this feature alone is a must-have.

How is it’s universal capability?

The headset works well with the PC, Mac and PlayStation 4 console. It also supports Steam Link. Rather than using an in-line control on the cable which isn’t possible for the wireless model, each side of the ear cups has small volume and microphone levels which are adjustable. There’s also a mute feature. Learning where to access these controls takes a bit of time, but they’re available.

What about the microphone?

The microphone is on another level. It is retractable back into the headset. When out and turned on, there’s a LED light that tells you that you’re broadcasting which is a nice, a rarely included feature.

Wireless broadcasting is provided on the 2.4Ghz frequency. This is a little surprising as using the 5Ghz frequency which is less congested would have been preferred. In any case, no audio broadcast interference was experienced during use.

The Lithium Ion battery that’s included in the headset offers up to 14 hours of audio before needing to be recharged again.

For anyone who’s just got to have a Razer headset, this wireless one is perhaps their best. It includes many desirable features and comes with the Chroma lighting effects that gamers love.

Conclusion

The gaming headset market is a cluttered one. There are many cheap Chinese imports that lack the desired quality or after-sales support. The above headset models all come from dependable brands with a reputation to protect and offer excellent value for money.

Outside of the Razer headsets which match up your Razer keyboard and mouse nicely, the Logitech G430 headset offers many features for an affordable price. Equally, the HyperX Gaming Cloud headset is a contender that’s cheaper than Kingston’s own branded headsets even though they’re the brains behind both brands. Lastly, the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 headset has German know-how and dependable quality behind it. When wanting the very best audio quality, it’s tough to go wrong with this one.

The term 144Hz monitor may not be an everyday one, but gamers and people who work with fast-moving animations will benefit from this newer type of display.

The majority of flat-panel displays update the display up to 60 times per second. This update translates into a 60hz refresh rate. When shopping for a new monitor, the refresh rate tells you as a buyer how often the screen is changed with new information. They can scale all the way up to the 144hz Monitor. At we believe in reviewing products that are priced fairly.

Faster refresh rates are useful when watching (or creating) animated features, strobe lighting effects or simply playing fast-moving games. One doesn’t want an unintentional motion blur, which is when something moves on the screen faster than it’s updating, causing something akin to skipped frames from an animation where the image jumps.

Now a number of manufacturers have stepped up the plate with a 144hz product line of modern, sleek displays that are capable of keeping up with graphic cards that have 100+ frames per second (FPS) rates. As both the games and video cards capable of utilizing the 100+ FPS feature explodes, the 144hz monitor will continue to grow in demand with it.

We took a look at the 144hz monitor and the best 5 of them that offer Full HD, 144Hz gaming, and desktop use options. Our review of them starts below:

The LG24GM77 B is a 24-inch 1080p widescreen LED 144hz monitor is an ideal one to play modern games due to its 1ms response time. The latest moves are displayed on the screen in real-time. What LG has dubbed “Clear Motion 240” is their process for eliminating the motion blur effect by utilizing 100Hz or higher refresh rate technologies (subject to the use of a video card that supports it).

The broader range of colors shown (72% based on the CIE1931 rating system) is more color accurate than many displays of this type. The enhanced 350cd/m2 of brightness is also easier to see under bright florescent lighting in a corporate office (or home office) environment.

The LG monitor is discreetly designed with a black border styling complimented by a slight red accent on the rear at the left/right edges of the indented part of the back panel. Therefore, the gaming red color is present, but anyone not into gaming would barely notice it making this a discreet 144hz monitor for work and personal use after hours.

What kind of inputs does it have?

There are two powered USB ports at the back on the left side, and a headphone jack too. The rear lower section holds a D-sub, DVD-D input, DisplayPort input, Full HDMI 1 and Full HDMI 2 sockets, and a square USB UP connection.

Control buttons with arrow selectors for on-screen access, along with several quick mode selectors, including a “Game Mode,” are present just below the LG logo near the bottom center of the panel. A Dynamic Action Sync (DAS) mode is also selectable. The feature aims to cut down on input lag. With the Motion 240 blur reducing feature turned on, DAS is turned off by default. Effectively, DAS is a desktop user mode for non-gaming users who require a display that responds to fast input without any ghosting or lag time.

The stand can hold the 144hz monitor either in landscape or portrait orientation which will suit writers and other business people who prefer a tall, slim screen orientation.

To round out the features of this LG monitor, there is a Black Stabilizer feature for improved visibility when playing at night and three gaming modes. The first two modes relate to first-person shooters like Battlefield1 and Call of Duty games. An RTS mode is also available to complete the display options.

The Acer GN246HL 24-inch TN gaming 144hz monitor with a Full HD resolution of 1980 x 1080 and a 144Hz refresh rate. When matched with a capable graphics card like a NVidia or ATI with above 100Hz refreshing capabilities, you’ll never be caught lagging behind in a game again.

Acer produces both a 24-inch and 27-inch model with similar features. We’re reviewing the 24-inch display version here. It uses smart technology like LED backlighting to manage energy levels to keep electricity bills lower when powered up, but not in use. The Acer EcoDisplay offers a nearly 70% power saving in some situations. The 350 nits of brightness are plenty too and the viewing angles are around 160-degrees vertically and horizontally.

Will it stick out like a sore thumb in my office?

There is a sturdy stand in the shape of an “X” that matches the black color of the display but adds red accents on the left and right edges. The stand allows tilting back or forwards a few degrees only. The lack of a flashy appearance lets this monitor double for business use during the day without attracting comments.

The contrast ratio of 100m:1 is impressive; it shows off the whites brightly and the deep blacks well too. The response time is under 5ms which is quick enough to keep up with rapid-fire gaming and avoids motion blurring.

Along with NVidia’s 3D Vision Ready feature, the NVidia 3D Lightboost feature improves the amount of light emitted during 3D movies and gaming experiences. The Active Shutter technology is supported for more immersive 3D gaming too. Acer 3D glasses are available separately that make use of these NVidia’s 3D technologies.

Several types of video display inputs are catered for here. There’s an old-style VGA port, a DVI port for digital video (no sound), and a full-size HDMI port. It’s a shame that there aren’t two HDMI ports, instead of including the VGA port (how many gamers buying a high-end 144Hz monitor will be hooking up to a VGA port?).

The Asus VG248QE is a gaming 144hz monitor that doesn’t shy away from confirming it is built for 3D. A 3D logo is displayed on the top side of the oval-shaped stand. Elsewhere, the monitor is subtler in its design cues with a basic Asus logo at the bottom center of the bezel, accessible monitor controls on the right front, and an HDMI related logo on the bottom left.

The 24-inch Asus model (there’s also a 27-inch one) is 1080p Full HD version with a 1ms response time supporting up to 144Hz refresh rates. Its built-in 2-watt stereo speaker provides a reasonable sound for its tiny footprint, but won’t rival a surround sound or Dolby Surround sound headphone setup that many gamers opt for.

The stand is lightweight but provides some good height changes, tilt, swivel and pivot at an angle setup options. It is also height adjustable to bring the monitor level to something that’s comfortable for day or evening use.

What about 3D?

The NVidia 3D Vision is fully supported for 3D gaming and watching 3D movies in all their glory. The ability to fully adjust the stand positioning provides an ergonomically comfortable viewing angle. The NVidia 3D LightBoost feature also supports increases in brightness when in 3D mode. The addition of NVidia’s 3D Vision 2 glasses (not supplied) would only add to the enjoyment.

The pleasing 80m:1 contrast ratio is backed by dynamic adjustment to the display’s luminance to ensure the backlight allows for clearer whites and darker blacks.

The Asus Splendid Video Intelligence feature offers 6 preset modes to present night viewing, scenery, games, theater, standard use and purer sRGB accuracy better. There’s a hotkey to make swapping between modes both easier and faster. For gamers, the GamePlus hotkey offers a choice of cross-hairs and an elapsed timer to use in-game.

The input ports include an HDMI, Dual-link DVI, a DisplayPort, a PC audio line-in, and a 3.5mm earphone jack.

The combination of features and support for various NVidia 3D technologies is impressive.

ViewSonic isn’t as well-known as some of the other brands with monitors reviewed in this guide. Nevertheless, their FreeSync 24-inch TN gaming 144hz monitor impresses.

The 120m:1 contrast ratio operated dynamically delivers purer whites and darker blacks through its color stabilization feature. It has a 1ms response time coupled with a 144Hz refresh rate which helps it keep up with the fastest gaming action. The low input lag is also important for this display to keep up with user changes. The monitor itself comes in 24-inch, 25-inch and 27-inch versions, which is a little more flexible than some other gaming 144hz monitor brands which usually skip the 25-inch model.

The appearance of this black monitor includes red gaming accents along the rear spine of the stand. The same coloring surrounds the border at the base of the stand too. The monitor’s bezel is a standard size and has the ViewSonic branding at the bottom center like most monitor designers opt for. The product includes a VESA-compatible mount for a wall as a nice extra. There is also a Kensington lock. The stand is height adjustable, and it can tilt, pivot and swivel as needed.

The monitor has two full-sized HDMI ports, a single DisplayPort, two USB 3.0 ports, a headphones jack, and a hook to place a pair of headphones in between uses. The two built-in stereo speakers are nice to have, but won’t match surround sound ones. It also comes with some convenient cable management too.

AOC is making quite a solid reputation for itself as a provider of excellent monitors. Their Ultimate Performance gaming 144hz monitor continues this tradition. The panel, in this case, is a TFT Active Matrix version offering a 1080p resolution with an 80m:1 contrast ratio and a response time below 1ms. This 24-inch monitor also has a 144Hz refresh rate to match any graphics cards that drive frame rates this fast.

There are several sizes and versions of this monitor, including this 24-inch model and a couple of 27-inch ones either with AMD’s FreeSync or G-Sync. The 24-inch model offers a 350-nits of brightness and a 170-degree viewing angle from all sides. This model also has two speakers for a couple of watts of sound output per speaker. Seven preset modes are also provided to change how the display is used.

What’s it look like?

The appearance is quick slick, as is common with many AOC monitors. There is a gamer red accent along the lower edge of the bezel which stands out in a minimalistic way. The monitor controls are on the bottom right of the bezel in front of the red background and the AOC logo is in the usual bottom center position.

The round stand is sturdy. It’s able to change height, tilt, pivot and swivel enough to position the 144hz monitor ergonomically. Mounting the monitor on the wall is also possible with the existing design elements on the rear and a rear wall mount bracket setup.

The ports are generous, with a USB hub complete with four USB 2.0 ports, a VGA, a Dual-link DVI, a DisplayPort, and an HDMI port too. The monitor is also EnergyStar compliant for lower energy usage.

Conclusion

One must spend considerably more to move up from a 1080p 144hz monitor display to a 4K UHD version with an IPS display. All of the models above lack the wider IPS viewing angle. Several of the models only have a single HDMI port, but a DisplayPort is often provided too. More advanced, pricier models must be selected to get multiple HDMI ports and step up to 4K visuals.

We feel many gamers are perfectly happy with a 1080p resolution to keep frame rates up in the 50-144 FPS level that’s comfortable on the eyes. It’s also true that when wanting to get up to 144Hz refresh rates with game frame rates to match that, it’s currently a tall order to achieve it when running a 4K resolution. As such, the 144Hz monitor offers great performance that’s suitable for the majority of gamers looking for faster action.

The LG 24GM77 B 144hz monitor is an excellent one that ticks many boxes. It offers some enticing gaming-ready features without looking too obvious as it does so. The Acer GN246HL 24-inch gaming monitor includes a wealth of NVidia 3D features that’ll be real crowd pleasers. It’s also good value for money, which is typical of the Acer brand.

The AOC monitor is a TFT display, not a TN panel as the other models are. However, it does offer some good features in the package.

We are starting off June with a bit of a bang!

This is the first ever in-house developed PC part lists. We’ll be doing these once a month or so, and we’ll try to make our part lists a little better than the competition. We are going to optimize our builds around 2 mains things. The first will be performance, the second will be noise. We are also going to recommend a target resolution for each build. Building a $3000 monster makes absolutely no sense if it’s connected to a 60 Hz, 1080p display. There will be other qualities in our builds too – we are going to strip any unnecessary parts from the PC (who needs an optical drive anyway?) to focus on getting as much raw performance as we can out of the system for a given price point. But what about where performance doesn’t make sense? What the point of 36 processor threads if your primary workload is gaming? In this instances, we might recommend putting the money into something else, like a network storage array that can double as a plex server to compliment your PC, or maybe custom water cooling loop as it both looks really nice and also helps reduce noise levels. So with all that preamble out of the way, I give you the June 2017 part list. The part lists were assembled using PC Part Picker, making it easy for you to view and alter the build to your taste.

Best build under $750 Tower only

Target resolution is 1080P for this build. The two major pieces to this build are the Ryzen 1500X and the RX470 GPU. We selected the RX580 for its excellent price/performance (the RX470 is currently very hard to find thanks to either mine) and Freesync compatibility. This build is designed with the expectation that the user will buy a Freesync monitor to go with it. In fact, most of our lower priced builds will feature AMD GPUs as the value proposition at this price point is impossible to ignore. Aside from the that, the Corsair 200R case is solid, no frills case with two included fans. There is no CPU heatsink included with this build, to try and keep the price down and allow for faster RAM, which Ryzen CPUs thrive with. I’d recommend upgrading the CPU to the Ryzen 1500X as it’s higher clock speed should give better gaming performance.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/tCsmhq

Best build under $1500 Tower only

Target resolution is 1440P. This PC is capable of exceeding 60 FPS in most games at maximum quality settings at this resolution. CPU heavy lifting is taken care of by a Ryzen 1700X and, as with all Ryzen CPUs, we pair it with fast RAM. The CPU is cooled by a massive Noctua cooler, keeping things cool enough and very quiet at the same time. You could also opt for AIO liquid cooler, however, these systems are more complex than the Noctua and don’t offer much in the way of real-world benefit for the typical user. Storage is a 1-2 punch of fast m.2 based storage for the OS and a hybrid hard drive taking care of and accelerating all large storage items – think of it as a steam drive. Finally, the GPU selected is a GTX 1070. The GTX 1070 is slightly faster than the Titan X (Maxwell) and as such has no trouble driving this resolution. It is strongly recommended to get a monitor that supports G-Sync to go along with it, just be forwarned that 1440P G-Sync monitors can be a little pricey. If a variable refresh monitor cannot be purchased then rest easy as the 1070 can drive most games above 60 FPS at this resolution. Lastly, all these parts fit comfortably inside a Fractal Define C case. It’s a nice looking and good performing case, with a reasonable amount of room to grow.https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2KF4QV

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2KF4QV

Best build under $2000 Tower only

The target resolution for this build is 4k. Alternatively, you could also look into a high refresh 1440P monitor, however, when doing high refresh gaming you might find a small benefit to moving to an Intel 7700k based system. For this build we decided to stick to the Ryzen 7 line as we feel that at these higher resolutions you’re generally GPU bound and moving into the future we expect more and more games to become more thread aware, giving the edge to AMD’s CPU in the long run.

The idea with the 2k build was to take the 1.5k build then upgrade the video card to the 1080 Ti, a card that performs very near the level of the Titan Xp for a fraction of the price. The Gigabyte AORUS version we selected has a massive, quiet cooler.

After upgrading the video card we still had some capital left over, so we upgraded the case to something prettier. Corsair’s Crystal case is, frankly gorgeous and will handily accommodate all the above parts. Lastly, we upgraded the CPU to the Ryzen 1800X. This is, frankly, a ridiculous upgrade but no other part upgrade would give us the performance bump that a CPU upgraded did, so we maxed this out.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7WZzwV

Best Build under $3000 Tower only

Spending this much on a gaming PC doesn’t really make sense, but if you’re going to do it, you might as well be smart about it. We took the 2k build and then doubled the video cards. In principle, this sounds like an easy thing, but in practice, it is not. The AORUS video cards we used to exhaust hot air into the case, meaning the top video card effectively heats the bottom one. This can result in throttling on the second GPU. To get around this issue, we can do two things. The first is a switch to a blower style cooler as seen in the founder edition. The issue here is, we see high temperatures and much higher noise levels. The get around both of these issues, we look to MSI’s Sea Hawk line. They are a double-slot GPU design with a closed-book liquid cooler attached. This solves all the above-mentioned problems, however, it does add cost – MSI’s solution costs $950 per card. While this is a lot of money, it’s a lot cheaper than building out a from scratch liquid cooling setup, and as such it gets the nod here. The high cost of the cards had to be offset by a slight decrease in CPU performance, so the 1800X was replaced with a 1700.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JpH83F

Best Possible Build – Price Doesn’t matter. Tower only

Intel is in for this build as we throw all sense of caution out the window and put in the largest motherboard in a massive case. We put in the fastest consumer level GPUs on earth (2 of them) and the fastest CPU on the market. The whole thing is massive and impractical, but also a lot of fun to look at. At $9456.65 it’s not affordable, and frankly probably won’t give you a better gaming experience than our 3k build – this exists purely as a ‘because we can’ exercise.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/T8ZzwV

Epilogue

So that’s a wrap! Our first fully in-house build guide is complete, and it was a lot of fun to put together. Hopefully, this provides you with a good jumping off point for your own builds. Please remember to add the OS of your choice along with a good monitor, keyboard, mouse and headset to your build. Of the above options my personal favorites are the $750 build as it surprised me at just how cheap that much performance is, and the $2000 as it represents what I would call the highest end build before things start to get a little silly.

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Smartwatches are yet to gain the popularity of smartphones. Many people still have trouble choosing which smart watch to buy. This is mainly due to lack of awareness of the wearable technology and how it can help you in your day to day life besides being a fashion statement. Most Smartwatches are absolutely stunning and will give you a sophisticated look.

Smartwatches give you an easy way to access information without having to pull out your phone. You can read and reply to messages, answer calls, track your exercise with GPS, search the internet and much more. Most people are unaware of the potential that smartwatches have. It is the ultimate accessory you can use with your phone. Though Smartwatches prices are higher as compared with other watches, they do more than tell time. The price range has been an issue with many people wishing to try them out. But with all the efforts from different manufacturers to provide value for money, more people are willing to acquire one. Let’s now look at the top 5 smartwatches in the market.

The Apple Watch is one of the best Smartwatches in the market today. As with Apple products, the Apple watch combines some sleek design and solid build with performance. This smart watch is very popular with iPhone users as it will integrate seamlessly. This watch is water resistant to a depth of 50 meters meaning you don’t have to remove it when you go swimming or while taking a shower. It comes with GPS and a heart rate monitor for the fitness enthusiasts.

There are various versions of the Apple Watch Series. There is the aluminum face watch version, the ceramic case version and there is yet another version where Apple have teamed up with Nike to provide sports people some different color combinations and an elastomer silicone strap for better ventilation while exercising. They have the OLED retina touch display which is bright enough to view in direct sunlight.

The Apple watch is faster in use due to running the WatchOS 3 and a faster dual core processor. The screen in Apple Watch 2 is protected with sapphire glass making it stronger and durable in the long run. The battery life of the Apple Watch series 2 is approximately 18 hours which is good battery life for a smart Watch.

The Apple Watch will allow you to pay through your watch with Apple pay. It will give you turn directions due to the GPS capability and being a fitness tracker with built in apps for fitness people, makes it a decent smart watch. This is not to mention that it looks pretty solid and decent on your hand. However, there are a few complaints regarding the steep price. You’ll find it mostly at just under $400 which many people consider to be on the higher end for a watch.

The Huawei Watch is one of the best Android wearables in the market. It is comfortable to wear and looks and feels good. It has a sapphire crystal display and features high resolution. The price is competitive compared to other Smartwatches in the market today. It comes around $300 which we can say is good value for money based on the features we shall be talking about.

The Huawei Watch is available in several models. There is the black model, a silver model and a gold model. The black model looks good whereas the shiny gold model gives a bling look. The straps are either leather or stainless steel. The stainless steel straps and the crystal sapphire front look give the watch a sophisticated look. The watch comes at 11.3mm which a bit big for a smartwatch. It is dust proof and waterproof up to depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.

This watch is the best android wearable technology has to offer in terms of specs. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and 4GB of internal storage. It comes with 512MB of RAM. It has Bluetooth 4.1, heart rate monitor, accelerometer and a barometer.

The round screen is at 1.4 inches which is slightly bigger than other rival smartwatches with a resolution of 400 by 400. It has a pixel density of 286ppi which is the highest among android Smartwatches. The screen is bright enough to use even under direct sunlight. It is quite responsive as well. The screen is set to be always on default. This will however drain the battery in about 2 days. If you switch it off, you’ll get a longer battery life. The charger attaches magnetically through some metal contacts. Be sure to confirm that the watch is charging as the metal contacts do not always attach properly.

For fitness, the Huawei Watch will come pre-installed with Google Fit and daily Tracking as well as the heart rate monitor. However it doesn’t have GPS.

The Samsung Gear S3 smartphone is well-built with an attractive design. It has a good spinning bezel interface. In as much as Smartwatches are still regarded as an experiment for the future, manufacturers are busy outdoing each other in a bid to gain the larger market share. The Gear S3 from Samsung has a few innovative ideas. This watch has lots of features and a bold design. The only downside to this smart watch is that Samsung used the Tizen platform which doesn’t support as many apps as the WatchOS3 and the Android Wear platforms. It doesn’t have the same user experience even though Samsung are trying to bring out some features of their own. They have the iOS smartwatch pairing app for uses using the iPhone and would want to use the Gear S3.

Samsung has added Samsung Pay to the Gear S3 to enable tap to pay which works on credit card terminals. So your watch becomes your virtual credit card which will work with the tap of a button. Spotify app is available in the Gear S3 and will stream over Wi-Fi and LTE. However, you can’t download tracks.

The Gear S3 is available in 2 models. The LTE model is a phone in itself. You can pick calls and connect apps with it. This is a phone on your wrist. With Bluetooth headphones, you can make discreet calls in tight situations.

The Gear S3 has the S health fitness features which track your fitness. It monitors your heart rate, tracks your water intake, reminds you if you remain still for long periods and will even suggest stretching exercises. The S health features are great for encouraging activity.

This smart watch is surely great looking and functional as well. The only negative is the Tizen software and app ecosystem that it uses. Apps available for this platform aren’t many. Having gone out of your way to purchase the Gear S3, you’d want as many apps as possible to improve your overall experience.

The LG Watch Style is built in collaboration with Google. It has everything good to offer for wearable technology. It is stylish just like the name suggests and has a lot of cool features that it supports. It is priced competitively compared to other Smartwatches in this niche. The watch comes with a cream colored leather band though can fit 18mm bands.

It weighs just 46g with 42.3*45.7*10.79mm dimensions. The screen size is 1.2 inches with a screen resolution of 360*360. The P-OLED screen with 299ppi display is unique to this smartwatch. It has an ambient light sensor beneath the screen. This smartwatch can automatically orient to a landscape mode when you rotate it.

The chipset is the Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset which replaces the Snapdragon 400 series. It has 512MB of RAM and 4GB storage. It runs the Android Wear 2.0. These specs make for a smooth performance and solid experience. Google play store is integrated into the watch making access to native apps quite simple.

We cannot talk of wearable technology without talking of fitness. It comes preinstalled with Google Fit which is a fitness tracker. Google Fit has been improved in this watch and blended into the operating system more deeply. It offers a wider range of exercises than before which you can choose. The LG watch style is dust and water resistant. These are important for fitness as you may break a sweat or swimming or jogging outdoors. It however doesn’t have the heart rate monitor.

The battery on this watch is not big. It comes at 240mAh which is average for Smartwatches. Under intense use, you could quickly drain the battery in about two hours. Under normal use, it will last for a day. Charging takes about an hour.

This is one of a kind sports smartwatch which is way ahead of its time. Sample this; it has dedicated GPS modes for cycling running, swimming, golf and indoor gym. For each of these modes, you’ll get a lot of data collected including heart rate, pace, distance, cadence, ascent and much more. This data is transferred to the Garmain connect app which is available for both Android and iOS. Garmain app can then connect to other apps such as strava which is a favorite of many people. The Garmain Vivoacive HR is the best when it comes to collecting fitness details and accuracy of the data. Besides sports, this Garmin smartwatch has other smart features such as displaying notifications, weather updates, calendar organization and others we shall look at.

The numerous features packed onto this smartwatch and especially the sports supporting features makes it something tats sports enthusiast should have. However, the design is not pretty as we have come to see with many smartwatches. The design is dull and not stylish at all. The smartwatch has the square design which manufactures are going away from in favor of the more generally acceptable circular design. It has a heart rate monitor which is locate at the rear and a big battery. To ensure that the battery lasts longer, Garmain have sacrificed screen brightness and quality which might explain the poor quality of display. This will give 5 days of battery suing all the features and even GPS on moderate use. The screen has a resolution of 205*148 pixels which is way lower than most smartwatches. The screen uses a touchscreen. Users can swipe though notifications ranging from overview of your day’s steps, intensity in minutes, heart rate over the last 4 hours, weather updates, and much more.

Due to the fact that the Vivocative HR is meant to be used even in intense sporting activities, the watch is water proof at 50 meters.

The Vivoactive HR can connect to your smartphone and deliver notifications. You’ll be able to read messages, get information about calla and social media updates.

Most Smartwatches will allow you to check notifications that are on your phone. You can then decide whether to pick up your smartphone or not. There are two main types of Smartwatches. Those who have a touchscreen similar to the one you find on your phone and those with the analogue wristwatch look but with smart features. There are pros and cons of these two types of smart watches. The colorful touchscreen will drain your battery pretty fast as you’d expect while the analogue look will have a longer battery life.

Before buying your smart watch, you may have to consider the type of phone you have. An Android user should go for an Android Wear while an i{hone user should go for an Apple Watch. Some watches will function cross platform but with reduced functionality. For instance the Google OS tweaked for wearables will fit with iOS but you may not experience the full functionality. Android Wear too has iOS support but with a reduced experience.

Besides smartphone compatibility, another factor to consider is the particular use you have in mind. For fitness enthusiasts, a smart watch with a built in GPS and a heart rate monitor will be most appropriate. Other factors include price, battery life, overall style, notification detail, water resistance, Wi-Fi support, and microphones. You may not get all these in one smart watch but the more the better.

The Apple Watch series 2 is a pretty solid smartwatch combining sleek design and top performance. It connects seamlessly with the iPhone and for this reason we recommend this as the best smartwatch in our list.

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